A simple layout.

Good Monday morning everyone. I had a rough night last night falling asleep and then a thunderstorm moved in, which was great, except the windows were open, so I was running around shutting them, by this time it was like 2AM. I'm hoping to at least stay upright today! Ha!

Today I wanted to share a layout with you that I started working on awhile back. I had many different ideas for this, including some stamping and embossing, neither of which happened.  I'm still happy with the result.  This layout goes right in our Project Life album.

Thanks for stopping in today. I hope you have a beautiful, upright, Monday ;)

One of the last layouts of 2011.

Happy Tuesday!  I want to thank everyone for their kind thoughts about Abie :)  She is much better today!

I wanted to post one of my last 2011 layouts.  I was really stretching it there at the end ya know, creativity wise :)

I was sitting at my desk trying to figure out what I was going to do and I saw this roll of ribbon that I bought a long time ago, but hadn't used.  It was definitely my inspiration for the rest of the page.

Here's a close up of the ribbon...

I hope you have a beautiful Tuesday!  Thanks for popping in today and I'll chat with you a bit tomorrow.

More Project Life practice.

Happy Friday :)  I have another Project Life practice page today, at least that's what I'm calling them.  It's the divided page protectors, but I like to look at them as practice for my "real" PL pages.  Haha!

I had several pictures from this visit to the lake to see my grandparents and didn't want to get rid of any of them, especially since this was who Landry Jean was named after :)  So this page protector was perfect since I could fit tons of pictures in it!  I was able to add some journaling and embellishing...

And up top some patterned paper with a bit of stamping!

Do you have a busy weekend?  We don't have any PLANS, but we do have plans.  Does that make sense?  Tonight we're dropping my car off because there was an issue with the tires, they're only a year and a half old but the tire place is going to replace them, yea them! After that we're going to head on out to dinner.  Tomorrow we're going to purge Abie's closet and room.  After that I'm hoping to get my Project Life title page completed!

I hope you have a great Friday and a wonderful weekend.  Thanks for coming by today! 

Happy 2012!

Happy New Year everyone!  Did you ring in 2012 in a grand way like me?  Haha :)  We spent our evening in the most perfect of ways, at home, with movies and snacks a low key night with my parents.  At midnight (I stole Tracy's idea) and opened up the back door, to let the old year out, and the front door, to let the new year in.  I just love that idea! 

We headed over to mom and dad's on Sunday afternoon for our annual Black Eyed Peas and then we went over to our old neighbors house and spent some time with them.  It was a great way to spend the first day of the new year :)

Yesterday, I finally got down to my craft room and got to work on my layouts.  I got A LOT accomplished.  In fact, I only have one more from 2011 to complete and then I can devote myself completely to 2012 and Project Life.  Do you know how good that feels?  Pretty amazing!

My trick for getting so much accomplished in the layout department?  Pebbles Inc divided page protectors. 

I bought these last year at Hobby Lobby and they make for super quick layouts!  I paired them with some pre-made 4x6 Halloween cards and let me tell ya, I sort of felt like I was making a Project Life layout.  Ha!

Just a few simple embellishments...

And some cardstock stickers :)

I was able to whip out MONTHS of pictures in just a couple of hours.  It was awesome!

Do you have any surefire tips for getting yourself caught up when you're behind?  Maybe not just on layouts, but on other craft projects? 

I'm heading back to work today.  It's been so nice to be at home this last week and a half and I can't believe it's over already.  The girls are both ready to go back, and seem excited, so that makes me happy. 

I hope you have a wonderful Tuesday.  Thanks for stopping by today and I'll see you tomorrow :)

Trying to catch up before the end of the year!

Think I can do it?  I'm trying really hard, and I have some tricks I'm pulling out of my hat in order to get all my 2010 (just a couple) and 2011 layouts finished up so I can start brand new with 2012 and Project Life next week!  I worked for just an hour or two yesterday and got through October 2010-July 2011 with Landry and started on her back to school pics!

This was the first layout I worked on yesterday:

I woke up at 3 AM yesterday, thinking about scrapbooking of course, and this layout had popped into my head.  I had pictured it in 12x12 but I didn't have any Kraft paper in that size, only 8 1/2 x 11, so I decided that I would add an 8 1/2 x 11 page protector to my album.  I currently use post bound albums but am planning on switching to all 3 ring binders, in the same color.  I really like the look of different size page protectors within an album that some people have done so I figured, why not?

So, if I have one 8 1/2 by 11 I need another, right?  This one will go on the back side and it literally took five minutes.  I grabbed the hearts and embellished doily out of my scrap tray, added some journaling and I was done!  (how about that new pink Sharpie?)

Do you have big weekend/New Years plans?  We will be doing the usual, snacks, movies and games with mom and dad at our house.  On Sunday will have our annual Black Eyed Peas for good luck at mom and dad's house.  You know, she's a stickler for that.  She makes ALL of us eat at least ONE bite for good luck for the whole year.  You have to eat them on New Year's Day though.  It really does work though, and honestly, my mom makes THE BEST Black Eyed Peas ever!  Whatever you do, and wherever you are, I hope you ring in the New Year safely and I sure have enjoyed you all in 2011 and am really looking forward to 2012.  I have a GREAT feeling about this next year, for all of us!  See you next year! 

Oy, blogger!

Good grief, I'm having the blogger blues!  I haven't been able to sign into to my beloved blog for 24 hours and have only been able to leave comments from my phone.  Boo, boo, boo!  I finally messed around on the Internet enough this afternoon and found that it might by a FireFox issue, and tried deleted my cookies and clearing out my cache.  It worked!  I can't believe that after such a short period of time this blog has become such a huge part of my life.  I get support and so look forward to hearing from you all each and every day :) 

I just wanted to share a couple of quick layouts that I made awhile back with some scraps.  These both came together rather quickly, as do most of my layouts :)

Do you have big plans for your weekend?  It's a three day-er for us.  Yippee!  Abie's last day of school was today.  She came home with a reading award and a Principal's Honor Roll certificate.  So unbelievably proud of that girl.  I took her and Landry out for a special dessert treat after school today to celebrate.  We're having some friends over tomorrow and that's the extent of our plans.  We'll see where the rest of our weekend takes us! 

Thank you so, so much for stopping by and I'll see you all soon!  :)

School

A happy Friday friends :)  I thought I would share a couple of layouts with you today.  These were from my marathon scrapping session a few weeks ago when I was trying to get myself caught up.

These layouts are both of Abie the first day of second grade and the first day of third grade.  It's so fun to see how much she changed in the span of a year!

 

Do you have any plans this weekend?  I have a wedding shower on Saturday and it's supposed to rain all day Sunday.  I'm really hoping to be craftily productive this weekend though.  You like my new term?  I just made that up :)

Have a fantastic Friday my friends, thanks for stopping by today and I'll chat with you soon! 

A layout and a bit of shopping!

Good morning friends!  How are you today?  I hope the spring weather is finally hitting your area like it is ours.  On my way home yesterday afternoon it was 72 degrees (22c I know because I hit the button in my car to check for Tracy!)  Although it's a bit windy, it's just beautiful.  Blue skies, green grass and blooming trees.  It instantly puts you in a good mood.  I am reminded constantly of why I love my life.  Mike and I have had this conversation a lot in just the last week and we feel so lucky to be where we are to have made the choices we have.  Sure we have bad days now and then but everything we do is to spend time with each other and our girls.  This is a great life we live and we are lucky enough to realize you only get one.  We're trying to make the most of it!

Okay, enough blabbering on.  Yesterday I was able to make a trip to Archivers.  Yipee!  It felt so good to look around.  I haven't even been in a store for several weeks, since I issued my challenge to myself.  I went in with a 30% off coupon and two things on my list:  a Hero Arts flower stamp and 6x6 paper pads.  Here's what I ended up with:

KI Puffies, Daily Junque Twine, Basic Grey 6x6 Life of the Party paper pad, My Mind's Eye Gertie "Girly" Stamps, Hero Arts Stencil Flower Cling stamp, Crate Paper Emma's Shoppe 6x6 paper pad and Emma's Shoppe phrase stickers.

A couple of things.  I think it was a BAD idea to not shop for this long because I wanted to buy everything.  Or maybe it's because all the new stuff from CHA is out?  I try to be thrifty with my purchases and buy things that I can get a lot of mileage out of.  If I see something I think I can make, I don't buy it.  Like felt embellies, I can make a lot of those but these puffies I'm not so sure about.  Also, I saw some super cute butterfly stick pins, holy cow almost bought those, but then I thought wait, you can make those with your MS punch.  So I resisted. 

I finally put in another PTI order, hopefully will get a shipping notice tomorrow and I plan on going by Michael's today!  (in all fairness to me, they sent me an email saying they missed me.  I take that as a sign)

I have a very simple layout today.  I bought this paper just because I liked it, had no specific layout in mind.  This is something I have since learned NOT to do.  I have to purchase my paper with a layout in mind otherwise the paper sits and sits and sits.  For a year, like this piece did.  :)

Well, that's about it for me today.  I hope you enjoy your Wednesday.  I have a dentist appointment this morning and then am looking forward to my Michael's trip later on!  Thanks for stopping to visit with me!

I DID IT!!!

I finished!  As you know I finished up my Abie's layouts over the weekend and then last night I finished up our vacation album!  I feel so good!!!!  What's funny about this is I got an email from PTI yesterday that the die I've been wanting is back in stock and last night in the mail I had Archiver's coupons.  Now if that's not the universe coming together then I don't know what else is!

I have a quick layout to share today.  Yes, it's Halloween, but you've got to work with what you have right?

Well, I'll be posting layouts the rest of this week and then next week I've got some cards planned and a different crafty project.  That is if I can get my sweet, wonderful, BESTEST husband to help me out.  :)  (he might be reading this so I need to butter him up!)

I hope you have a fantastic Tuesday!  Thanks for stopping by today!

TGIF

I'm so excited it's Friday!  I had a great night last night, one of those where everything just flows like it's supposed to.  Left work, went to the store, picked up girls, started laundry, 2 LAYOUTS COMPLETED, fixed dinner, baked cookies (while Mike gave baths).  Why can't every night be this smooth?  :)  I'm hoping tonight goes much the same way.  I have plans to get 7 layouts finished, then I'll be caught up with Abie and will only need to work on our vacation album to meet my goal!  You know what that means?  SHOPPING!  This time next week, we could be sitting here discussing my new purchases ladies!

I'm so motivated right now and have so many ideas running through my head for other crafty projects and cards I want to do.  It's a bit frustrating, I almost feel like these layouts are in my way but like I said, I'm motivated to get them done right now.  I know if I don't do them now, it could be another six months before the mood strikes.  Do you guys ever get like that?  I mean, I'm always crafting away on something, usually with paper, just not always layouts.

Okay, enough jibber jabber, onto my layout for today.  This picture was taken at our HOA's annual bike parade.  I just love the look on Landry's face.  It screams summer to me and makes me smile.  My little 4th of July baby.

I kept this one really simple because I wanted the photo to be the focus.  Talk about a quick and easy layout!

Alright, that's it for me today.  Do you have big plans this weekend or are you going to try and get some layouts finished like me?  Thanks for stopping by today!

Dreaming of Spring :)

We had a taste of spring weather a couple of weeks ago and it was wonderful.  Then the last two weeks it's been crummy.  I'm really dreaming of spring and wanting it to stay that way!  :)

I have another layout to share today, one from last summer when Landry was just too pooped and fell asleep on the floor in the living room one afternoon.  I couldn't resist and took pictures of her sweet face!

I love the fun bright papers on this layout, matches my mood for wanting springtime!  Ha!

Have you all had a good week?  I can't believe it's the last day of March and how fast this year is flying by.  I hope you have a great Thursday and thanks for stopping by today!

PAT

Morning all!  Do you have Parents as Teachers where you live?  We signed up before Abie was born and Laurel, our Parent Educator, was with us through both girls.  It was so sad when she came for her last visit last spring.  We still see her around town, and she also runs the before and after school program for the school district but it's not the same as the home visits.

This is the layout I did with some pics I took of the girls with Laurel.  Abie was too old for the activities that Laurel had brought for Landry but she would still bring little gifts for her and things.  Abie would still hang out too and help during the home visits.

The embellishments for this layout were in my odds and ends tray.  I just flipped through it until I found some stuff that worked.  I scrunched up the butterfly and added some ink to it to distress it a bit.

I was hoping to get a couple of layouts for Abie started last night and it just didn't happen, the night got away from me.  There's always tonight right?  :)  I hope you have a great Wednesday and thanks for stopping by today!

Quasi Project Life and another layout

Well, after my epiphany over the weekend I was able to let some of my OCD tendencies go and place layouts in my girls scrapbooks out of order.  This is a HUGE deal for me.  The other thing I was able to do was include some Project Life type layouts.  They were my first try at something like this and not nearly as in depth as some of them out there but again, it was about getting the memories down for me.  I was able to get several events in one page protector that would have equaled multiple layouts for me.  Does that make sense?  This was perfect for Christmas/Winter and Fourth of July, events where I take a ton of photos.

Here is one of my examples:

I found these page protectors at Hobby Lobby.  I think they were $9.99 and I picked them up when they were 50% off.  I can't tell you how freeing it was for me to add these in to my girls albums!  Like showing you my underwear!

I have a regular layout to share today too:

This little goal I've set for myself has been going so good.  It has felt great using up all of my scraps and last night I finished up Landry!  It feels great!  Now to get started on Abie and then last years vacation album.  I'll be buying new product in no time!

Thanks for coming by today and I'll see you tomorrow!

Productivity!

Good morning all.  Did you have a nice weekend?  I had set a goal for myself, to get as many layouts done as possible.  I'm happy to report that I am one layout away from being caught up on Landry.  That is with photos I have printed anyway.  :)  I was on quite the roll this weekend! 

This Thanksgiving photo was from 2009, all my other photos were from 2010 so I'm not sure how this ended up in the pile but I did a layout for it anyway.  I tried to keep everything fairly simple and just get the basics down.    I used one of my yo yos on this and love the addition of it!

One thing that really motivated me this past week was Write. Click. Scrapbook. And their week dedicated to using your stuff.  It really got me thinking about using up my stash.  One thing that particularly struck home was this post where she asks you to look at your older items and products you use.  It made me remember that I started scrapbooking to preserve memories for my kids.  That's it.  Once I remembered that, I felt like a weight had been lifted.  Yes I like my pages to look pretty and yes it's a crafty outlet for me but that's more what my card making and paper crafting is for.  The scrapbooking is more about the memories.  So, I'm breezing right on through these layouts and couldn't be happier about it!

Sorry for the long post today!  Hope you stayed with me and thanks for stopping by.  See you tomorrow with, YEP another layout!

Twice in one week!

Yes, another layout.  Can you believe it?  I must be on a roll here.  These are some really old pictures from Abie's first day of first grade.  (She's now in third grade!!!)  I have had this paper forever and I just loved it and didn't want to use it.  I'm so bad about that...

Abie looks so young in these pictures and she was missing a couple of teeth too!  Makes me a little weepy, she's getting so big now.

Well, I don't have much going on today.  Our mild temps turned into 40 freaking degrees yesterday!  I was so happy.  Crazy thing is hardly anything has melted. 

BED UPDATE:  Mike got two coats of primer on the beds and he's hoping to get the first top coat on tomorrow.  Do any of you guys know where to buy a twin bed frame?

Thanks for coming by today!  Have a fabulous day!!

Boo!

Well, I know it may be January and we might have tons of snow on the ground here, but I felt inspired to create a Halloween layout this weekend.  Crazy?  Maybe yes, maybe no. 

These pics are from Halloween 2009!  I'm a bit behind, huh?  This just took me a bit to whip out, not too much detail on this page, which is kind of my scrapbooking style.  I tend to put more junk on my cards and other projects, I think because they're on a smaller scale.    Do you find that your style is the same with your layouts as it is with your other projects or are you like me and your style differs from layouts to your other projects?

So, I wanted to let you know Mike and I had a great time Saturday night.  The food was fabulous and so was the company.  His boss does not read my blog, so I'm not sucking up here :)  Haha!

Here's a picture of us right before we walked in for dinner.  Thanks for stopping by today.  I hope you have a great Monday and I'll chat with you tomorrow!

A layout!

Oh my goodness, I'm posting a layout today folks!  No, don't leave, you're in the right place and no, I'm not sick.  I just 1) had the time to make one and 2) took enough pics until I found one that wasn't horrible.  That's been my issue, I don't typically post layouts because I don't really take good pictures of them.  Does that make sense?  I worked on this one a bit yesterday and got to use my new punch from Joann's.  I heart it A LOT!  I thought it was just a border punch, but it's not, it actually punches out the whole piece.  I'm not making any sense today, maybe I need more coffee :-) 

Check out that little rosette, I made that sucker!  I've seen them all over the place (including the trim on yesterdays card) and finally made one.  So stinkin' easy, I couldn't believe it.  I'm going to be making a lot more of these.

Thanks for coming by today!  I hope you have an awesome Thursday friends!